Nobody can't prove nothing, but ...

I think it is just a case of bad umpiring, not an international conspiracy. Let it go. Justice prevailed.

Well, Davidson supposedly gets off on attention. He may have a mental problem, if anything. He doesn't care what kind of attention he gets. Apparently he likes seeing himself in the papers and Sportscenter. The fact that an umpire can overshadow the players on the field and be the complete focus of the game is something that he really likes.

Then again, all four of those umpires didn't see a home run that an entire stadium saw.

- Then again, all four of those umpires didn't see a home run that an entire stadium saw.

Or indeed a home run that the whole world saw on their TV screens.

Maybe it's time to consider having a video umpire in the stands for situations like this. I know there are arguments both in favor and against. Any thoughts?

Obviously, with baseball being based on tradition in a lot of ways, everyone would hate the instant replay. However, a replay for home run calls, in my opinion, wouldn't be bad. There are tons of instances where either fan interference or odd stadium layouts cause umpires to not make the correct call. The replay could help a lot, especially since home runs are usually very important to the outcome of the game and need to be called correctly. That is the only circumstance where I would agree with replay, though.

...with baseball being based on tradition...

Yes, that's one argument against it. But even tradition-bound sports have been known to use video reply - cricket for one. That game predates baseball by more than two centuries and didn't really become fully professional at the highest levels until the 1970s or '80s.

But there have been many innovations introduced to baseball over the years (wild cards, DH etc.), so it's hardly static.

- There are tons of instances where either fan interference or odd stadium layouts cause umpires to not make the correct call.

Yes, and I agree with you that instant replay, if introduced, should be limited to only the most important plays.

Much as I dislike these developments (the Power Play has got to go!), it's the way things are going I suppose. When you think about it, horse racing has long had photo-finishes, and that's one of the oldest sports on Earth; and even sumo gyoji (referee) calls are scrutinised and overturned after long and careful deliberation by four stablemasters sitting around the ring only a couple of metres away from the action. So maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing for baseball to get a bit of help in making those tough decisions.

(This is starting to get off topic, but here goes.)

There was an interesting quote on CSI that addressed the nature of sport:

Organised sports is the paradigmatic model of a just society: everyone knows the same language, everyone knows the rules, and there's a specific punishment handed out the moment someone tries to cheat - instant morality.

Certainly video-assisted decisions contribute to maintaining that. But I wonder if a sport that won't even try to eradicate steriods properly is really interested in being just.

- But I wonder if a sport that won't even try to eradicate steriods properly is really interested in being just.

There is a lot of truth in this, though it also an inbuilt conservatism. Once video replays are introduced everyone wonders how they ever got on without them. Rugby Union is a case in point where once video replays were introduced things got a lot easier. Of course they don't solve every dispute but they do clear up almost all of them.

Yeah, I read about Davidson's ego somewhere, too. Why he keeps on working games after the Japan-US debacle is what I don't understand. Doesn't MLB want to avoid attention like that?

The tag up overrule, upon U.S. manager Martinez's appearance and short talk, and the home run hitting a foul pole being called a double. Those are three things I have never, ever seen in my life. The fact that all three events happened in the span of two games and by the same umpire is just totally unacceptable. I'm surprised the WBC organizing body doesn't feel that way.

Whew! Thanks everyone for the reasoned replies! I tried to couch my suspicions in the most gentle language, but was very interested in what other (presumeably Team Japan fans) saw and believed.

The replay question is a good one, and for certain plays really should be tried over the course of a season.

Except for Davidson's calls, the WBC has brought out pretty much all the things I enjoy about baseball; I'd feared the "national team" format would lead to an unpleasant amount (meaning more than a drop) of bad-tempered chauvinism, but - except for a wee and forgiveable bit from the Korean team and fans - the flag-waving has appeared remarkably cheerful.

DOES anyone know about something involving a controversy with Davidson during the McGuire HR chase? I still haven't found anything.

I wonder if anyone else watching tonight's final game noticed the bizarre Davidson issue in one of the late (8th or 9th) innings, when he admonished the Japanese team in its dugout because one of the players had a foot sticking onto the field. It was ridiculous, and Joe Morgan said as much on the ESPN broadcast. I suspect this man has some serious issues, and possibly anti-Team Japan bias. Certainly I hope the fact that Japan ended up winning the tournament despite this kind of umpiring does not dissuade fans from calling for some kind of investigation into such unprofessional and frankly embarassing behavior. The game ain't about the umps, or shouldn't be.

That was outrageous! I've never seen an umpire react that way to such a minor infringement!

This guy shouldn't even be allowed to work in a circus after his woeful performance.